Here's Why You Should Add AIR Stock to Your Portfolio Right Now

AAR Corp.’s AIR robust presence in the aerospace Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) market, solid liquidity and low debt are strong positives. Given its growth prospects, AIR makes for a solid investment option in the Aerospace sector.Let’s focus on the factors that make this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company a strong investment pick at the moment.Growth Projections & Surprise History of AIRThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 earnings per share is pegged at $4.56, which indicates year-over-year growth of 16.6%.The consensus estimate for fiscal 2026 sales is $3.14 billion, which indicates year-over-year growth of 12.9%.It delivered an average earnings surprise of 9.44% in the last four quarters.AAR Stock’s Debt PositionCurrently, the company’s total debt to capital is 45%, better than the industry’s average of 49.4%.AIR’s times interest earned (TIE) ratio at the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2026 was 1.81. A TIE ratio of more than one indicates that the company will be able to meet its interest payment obligations in the near term without any problems.AIR’s LiquidityAIR’s current ratio at the end of the fiscal first quarter was 2.91. A current ratio of greater than one indicates the company’s ability to meet its future short-term liabilities without difficulties.AIR’s Focus on the MRO MarketThe commercial aerospace industry has been seeing a steady rise in aircraft usage, which has increased the need for aircraft maintenance. In the fiscal first quarter, the company’s Repair & Engineering segment recorded an 8% organic sales increase, supported by strong demand for its airframe MRO services and ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and boost throughput.To strengthen its MRO capabilities, the company is expanding its airframe MRO facilities in Oklahoma City and Miami. Once operational next year, these expanded facilities are expected to increase AAR’s overall MRO capacity by 15% and contribute roughly $60 million to its annual sales.AIR Stock’s Price PerformanceShares of AIR have gained 10.9% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 0.5% growth.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchOther Stocks to ConsiderOther top-ranked stocks from the same industry are Astronics ATRO, Curtiss-Wright CW and Woodward WWD. Astronics sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present, while Curtiss-Wright and Woodward carry a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Astronics delivered an average earnings surprise of 59.10% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ATRO’s 2025 sales is pinned at $856.9 million, which indicates year-over-year growth of 7.7%.Curtiss-Wright delivered an average earnings surprise of 7.75% in the last four quarters. The consensus estimate for CW’s 2025 sales is pinned at $3.44 billion, which indicates year-over-year growth of 10.2%.Woodward delivered an average earnings surprise of 14.66% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WWD’s 2025 sales is pinned at $3.96 billion, which indicates year-over-year growth of 11.1%.Free Report: Profiting from the 2nd Wave of AI ExplosionThe next phase of the AI explosion is poised to create significant wealth for investors, especially those who get in early. It will add literally trillion of dollars to the economy and revolutionize nearly every part of our lives.Investors who bought shares like Nvidia at the right time have had a shot at huge gains.But the rocket ride in the "first wave" of AI stocks may soon come to an end. The sharp upward trajectory of these stocks will begin to level off, leaving exponential growth to a new wave of cutting-edge companies.Zacks' AI Boom 2.0: The Second Wave report reveals 4 under-the-radar companies that may soon be shining stars of AI’s next leap forward.Access AI Boom 2.0 now, absolutely free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AAR Corp. (AIR): Free Stock Analysis Report Astronics Corporation (ATRO): Free Stock Analysis Report Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW): Free Stock Analysis Report Woodward, Inc. (WWD): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks